With the growing demand of the English language in the field of science and technology, the government made the decision to teach science and mathematics in English to maintain the country’s competitive edge in the global market place. This policy was implemented in national schools for students in Standard One, Form One and Lower Six from year 2003 (Hishamuddin, 2004). The teaching and learning of science using second language cover almost all levels of education now. However they felt that learning science and mathematics was very difficult and demanding (Aziz, 2003).
Based on the research, the importance of language in the learning and teaching of science has long been recognized. It is important in developing student’s scientific knowledge, and for teachers in understanding their students’ learning (Aziz, 2002). The scientific language of today is English. Teaching and learning sciences and mathematics in English will produce the students that able to master some critical fields because today’s lingua franca is English. Students may be left behind if they are not proficient in English and the scientific language (Gilbert, 1982). The research found out that the respondents agreed to the importance of English Language in everyday life as well as career opportunity (Aziz, 2005). In the working field, our new generation will compete to get the better job by mastering many languages. Next, coincidently, this child group will be the ‘teachers’ among their surrounding by sharing English words and verbs (Osborne, et al..., 1983). Thus, our society will improve in English too.
As the disadvantages, students encounter English for the first time in school and rarely use it in their everyday lives. The use of English may affect the success of teaching the subjects (Aziz, 2003). The problem of learning science through a second language also is compounded by other factors contributing to disadvantage, such as teachers who are not proficient in English and the lack of good science textbooks (Ihejioto, 1995). Secondly, if there is a mismatch between the structures, values, and expectations of the home language and school language, children may be at a disadvantage for success in early reading tasks, and thus spend their entire school careers attempting to catch up (Aziz, 2005). Extra, government has invested lots of money (about 4.2 billion) to run this idea but the outcomes are not achieving the objective totally (Hishamuddin, 2008).
This study also tried to expend the student’s perception about teaching and learning sciences and mathematics in English. Students feel that English may handicap their understanding for sciences conceptual because they need to translate the language first before understanding it (Osborne, 1983). Secondly, their mind set is that sciences are more difficult to learn in English rather than mathematics. They also found that their interest to learn mathematics and sciences were decreasing. It causes them to be absent from the classes (Aziz, 2004). Students think that emphasized should be given more on building students’ proficiency in English before they could learn science and mathematics effectively.
With the growing demand of the English language in the field of science and technology, the government made the decision to teach science and mathematics in English to maintain the country’s competitive edge in the global market place. This policy was implemented in national schools for students in Standard One, Form One and Lower Six from year 2003 (Hishamuddin, 2004). The teaching and learning of science using second language cover almost all levels of education now. However they felt that learning science and mathematics was very difficult and demanding (Aziz, 2003).
Based on the research, the importance of language in the learning and teaching of science has long been recognized. It is important in developing student’s scientific knowledge, and for teachers in understanding their students’ learning (Aziz, 2002). The scientific language of today is English. Teaching and learning sciences and mathematics in English will produce the students that able to master some critical fields because today’s lingua franca is English. Students may be left behind if they are not proficient in English and the scientific language (Gilbert, 1982). The research found out that the respondents agreed to the importance of English Language in everyday life as well as career opportunity (Aziz, 2005). In the working field, our new generation will compete to get the better job by mastering many languages. Next, coincidently, this child group will be the ‘teachers’ among their surrounding by sharing English words and verbs (Osborne, et al..., 1983). Thus, our society will improve in English too.
As the disadvantages, students encounter English for the first time in school and rarely use it in their everyday lives. The use of English may affect the success of teaching the subjects (Aziz, 2003). The problem of learning science through a second language also is compounded by other factors contributing to disadvantage, such as teachers who are not proficient in English and the lack of good science textbooks (Ihejioto, 1995). Secondly, if there is a mismatch between the structures, values, and expectations of the home language and school language, children may be at a disadvantage for success in early reading tasks, and thus spend their entire school careers attempting to catch up (Aziz, 2005). Extra, government has invested lots of money (about 4.2 billion) to run this idea but the outcomes are not achieving the objective totally (Hishamuddin, 2008).
This study also tried to expend the student’s perception about teaching and learning sciences and mathematics in English. Students feel that English may handicap their understanding for sciences conceptual because they need to translate the language first before understanding it (Osborne, 1983). Secondly, their mind set is that sciences are more difficult to learn in English rather than mathematics. They also found that their interest to learn mathematics and sciences were decreasing. It causes them to be absent from the classes (Aziz, 2004). Students think that emphasized should be given more on building students’ proficiency in English before they could learn science and mathematics effectively.
References:
I. http://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/924/Malaysia-EDUCATIONAL-SYSTEM-OVERVIEW.html#ixzz0M6ITyxSE
II. Osborne, R. J., Bell, B. F. dan Gilbert, J. K. (1983). Science teaching and children’s views of the world. Eur. J. Sci. Educ., Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 1 - 4.
III. Aziz bin Nordin, p-aziz@utm.my, Students’ Perception On Teaching And Learning Mathematics In English
IV. http://www.scribd.com/doc/11079977/Teaching-Learning-English